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Stop retirement talk, Rummenigge tells Coman, 22

Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has told Kingsley Coman to stop all talk of retiring from "aggressive" modern-day football and focus on returning to the fray with his morale intact.

Injury-plagued Coman, who has started only three Champions League games for Bayern since joining the club in 2016, said in a recent television interview that back-to-back injuries had left him pondering his future in the game.

                 GROUP E
AJAX BAYERN MUNICH

Speaking before Bayern's trip to Amsterdam where they will face Ajax in the Champions League tomorrow morning (Singapore time), Rummenigge said it was unthinkable for the 22-year-old Frenchman to be considering quitting.

"I would advise him not to get carried away and to stop thinking about ending his career," said Rummenigge.

"In today's football, which is very quick and sometimes very aggressive, you just can't avoid suffering injury now and again.

"The important thing is to return to competition with your morale intact."

Coman told Sunday's Telefoot programme he would consider his future in football if he suffered another major injury.

He has had two ankle ligament injuries in the past year.

The first meant he missed possible selection to France's squad for a World Cup campaign in which Les Bleus triumphed.

Coman returned from his latest injury only on Dec 1, joining Bayern's squad for the clash in Amsterdam, where the German side need just a point to secure top spot in Group E.

Bayern will be without Arjen Robben, 34, who has been out injured since scoring twice in a 5-1 win over Benfica last month and has yet to fully recover.

Injured midfielders Corentin Tolisso and James Rodriguez have also been left out of Niko Kovac's matchday squad. - AFP

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